This is a sad post I’m sharing with permission from a new member of the ICAN email support group.  I’m hoping this post will inspire that person who is ‘on the fence’ between VBAC and repeat cesarean to make the extra effort and fight for that VBAC rather than mourn yet another cesarean.

******************************************************

I just had my 3rd child on December 10, 2007 via c-section. My first born was vaginal, 2nd was emergency c-section after laboring for 12 or so hours. The baby was in distress, i think the ob was interfering too much, she broke my water, and then labor stopped so she pushed pitocin, and end result c-section. I didn’t realize how bad it affected me emotionally until i got home. The recovery took 2 months. With this recent c-section, i had wanted a vbac, and my ob was willing to try but really tried to convince me against it. So we scheduled the c-sec and if i went into labor before that, then we would try a vbac. I didn’t research it enough, but kept praying for the best. I went into labor an hour before my scheduled c-sec. I went to the hospital and told the labor nurse i was in labor, but she prepped me for the c-sec. I was confused, freezing to death, and in pain. so, instead of voicing my opinion, i went ahead with the c-sec. Big mistake. I am so thankful i have a healthy baby boy, but it was an ordeal. the recovery is worse than before, I couldn’t be there for my 2 year old. It was difficult to breastfeed because the incision pain. My spine hurts from the spinal block, and my bladder hurts when i pee, which i will discuss with the ob at my 6 week visit. i hope it is nothing. For the longest time every time i would get a moment to myself i would obsess about why i didn’t speak up, why i didn’t try harder for the vbac. i felt cheated from a birth, one i would have recovered from and wouldn’t feel so broken. I plan to have more children, but if i have to have a c-sec i don’t think i can do it.